1975–1994

The company was founded on 7 November 1975 by India's former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as National Thermal Power Corporation Private Limited. It started working on its first thermal power project in 1976 at Shaktinagar—named National Thermal Power Corporation Private Limited Singrauli—in Uttar Pradesh.^[9] In the same year, its name was changed to "National Thermal Power Corporation Limited". In 1983, NTPC began commercial operations and earned profits of INR 4.5 crores in FY 1982–83. By the end of 1985, it had achieved power generation capacity of 2000 MW.
In 1986, it completed synchronisation of its first 500 MW unit at Singrauli. In 1988, it commissioned two 500 MW units, one each in Rihand and Ramagundam. In 1989, it started a consultancy division. In 1992, it acquired Feroze Gandhi Unchahar Thermal Power Station from Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam of Uttar Pradesh.^[10] By the end of 1994, its installed capacity crossed 15,000 MW.

1995–2004

In 1995, it took over the Talcher Thermal Power Station from Orissa State Electricity Board.^[9] In the year 1997, the Government of India conferred it with "Navratna" status. In that same year, it achieved a milestone of generating 100 billion units of electricity in a single year.^[9] In 1998, it commissioned its first Naptha-based plant at Kayamkulam with a capacity of 350 MW. In 1999, its plant in Dadri, which had the highest plant load factor (PLF) in India of 96%, was certified with ISO-14001. During 2000, it started construction of its first hydro-electric power project, with 800 MW capacity, in Himachal Pradesh.^[9]
In 2002, it incorporated 3 subsidiary companies: NTPC Electric Supply Company Limited for forward integration by entering into the business of distribution and trading of power; NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited for meeting the expected rise in energy trading; and NTPC Hydro Limited to carry out the business of implementing and operating small and medium hydropower projects.^[11] Later in 2002, its installed capacity crossed 20,000 MW.^[9]

NTPC got listed on BSE and NSE on 5 November 2004. Against the issue price of ₹62 per share, it closed the first day of listing with ₹75.55 per share.^[12] On the day of listing, it became the third largest company in India in terms of market capitalisation.^[13]

2005–present

In October 2005, the company's name was changed from National Thermal Power Corporation Limited to NTPC Limited. The primary reason for this change was the company's foray into hydro and nuclear based power generation along with backward integration of coal mining. In 2006, it entered into an agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to set up two units of 250 MW each in Trincomalee in Sri Lanka.^[9] During 2008 and 2011, NTPC entered into joint ventures with BHEL, Bharat Forge, NHPC, Coal India, SAIL, NMDC, and NPCIL to expand its business of power generation.^[9][10] By the end of 2010, its installed capacity crossed 31,000 MW.^[9]

The company in 2009 joined forces with other state enterprises Rashtriya Ispat Nigam, Steel Authority of India, Coal India, and National Minerals Development Corporation to invest in coal mining operations through a joint venture vehicle named International Coal Ventures Private Limited (ICVL). In July 2014, ICVL acquired a 65 percent stake in the Benga coal mine in Mozambique from the Rio Tinto Group.^[14] In December 2022, the Market cap of NTPC limited was Rs. 1,66,249.34 crore.^[15]

Scheduling and generation dispatch

The scheduling and dispatch of all the generating stations owned by National Thermal Power Corporation are done by respective regional load dispatch centers, which are the apex body to ensure integrated operation of the power system grid in the respective region. All these load dispatch centers come under Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO).

Thermal Power

Hydro Power

The company has also stepped up its hydroelectric power (hydel) project implementation. Some of these projects are:

Renewable Energy

NTPC's current renewable power plants in solar and wind include:

Land acquisition in tribal areas

The company (and other PSUs in India) has been allotted land for setting power plants and related infrastructure in rural or tribal areas across the country by Central Government and various state governments. Some of these lands have been allotted to NTPC (and other PSUs in India) through Land Acquisition Acts passed by Central and State Governments. Wherever a land acquisition law is enacted, it also places a liability on the PSUs or governments to take actions for proper rehabilitation of displaced residents of that rural or tribal area. Governments or PSUs are criticized if they do not fulfill their liability towards displaced residents. In many areas where land acquisition is proposed through land acquisition laws, local residents oppose the forcible acquisition, as they are not sure of proper rehabilitation.

Future growth

Draft National Electricity Plan (2016), prepared by GoI, states that India does not need additional coal-fired power plants until 2027 with the commissioning of various coal-based power plants which are presently under construction.^[31] India is not facing regular power shortages to purchase electricity at high prices, offering higher profit margins to the competing power generating companies. With the help of assured power purchase agreements (PPA) from the state-owned DisComs, NTPC was able to sell its power at higher margins on the deployed capital and higher overhead costs. Moreover, its main expertise of generating power from coal-fired stations is becoming obsolete in terms of technology and economics against non-conventional power generation like wind, solar, etc.^[32] In the future, for the satisfactory growth mainly from wind and solar power projects, NTPC is ready to slash all its extra profit margins on capital deployed to bring down the power sale price at par with the IPPs to secure the projects in open competitive bidding.

Government has decided to scrap the coal fired power stations which are more than 25 years old to reduce the pollution.^[33] Instead of scrapping old pulverised coal fired units, NTPC should replace coal with torrefied crops waste/biomass as fuel in these units (nearly 11,000 MW) to make them profitable and productive assets without contributing to pollution.^[34]

To utilize its proven O&M expertise, NTPC may venture on a major scale to implement the solar thermal storage power as they can offer clean and cheaper electricity than fossil fuel-fired power generation plants.^[35]

Rather than install emissions-cutting technologies, NTPC has chosen to lobby the government to extend pollution reduction deadlines.^[36]

Controversies with projects

Loharinag Pala Hydro Power Project by NTPC Ltd: Loharinag Pala Hydro Power Project (600 MW i.e. 150 MW × 4 units) is located on the river Bhagirathi (a tributary of the Ganges) in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand state. This is the first project downstream from the origin of the Ganges at Gangotri. The project was at the advanced stage of construction when it was discontinued by the Government of India in August 2010.

Rupasiyabagar Khasiabara HPP, 261 MW in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand State, near China Border, is yet to be given investment approval..

Badarpur Thermal Power Station has been permanently closed due to pollution issues in Delhi NCR. The total installed capacity of all of its units was 705 MW, which has been retired and fully closed since 15 October 2018.^[37][38]